1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a metallic male terminal, and in particular, to a metallic male terminal of the type in which a plate member is folded (i.e. bent to be doubled by laying one part of it on the other part) to form a tongue-like mating contact portion as a male contact that mates with a metallic female terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional metallic male terminal of such the type has been disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Publication No. 3-116572.
The conventional male terminal includes a terminal portion for termination of an electrical wiring and a male contact portion integral with the terminal portion.
The male contact portion is formed in a tongue-like configuration matable with a metallic female terminal, by folding a shaped plate member in a transverse direction of the male terminal, i.e. widthwise of the contact portion.
As the plate member is transversely folded, the conventional male terminal has undesirable burrs and edges left on a tip thereof, as they are formed in a pressshaping process.
In application to a connector, the male terminal with such burrs and edges is inserted to be set in a male terminal accommodation chamber of a female-type housing of the connector. In the insertion, the tip of the male contact portion tends to scratch a guiding inside of the accommodation chamber, giving flaws or injuries thereto. In the case of a water-proof connector, an injured sealing may cause a degraded water-proofness.
For a coupling of the connector, the male contact portion of the terminal set in the female-type housing is engaged with a male contact insertion hole at a front end of a male-type housing of the connector. Then, the male-type housing is inserted to the female-type housing, causing the contact portion of the male terminal to mate with a contact portion of a metallic female terminal set in the male-type housing.
In the coupling of the connector, burrs and edges on the tip of the male contact portion tend to be caught by or bound to a tapered guiding surface of the male contact insertion hole, thus constituting an obstruction to the coupling, resulting in a probable use of undue forces that may give damages to the male terminal and the female-type housing.